Rinse well with clean water.
Cleaning stone fireplace with muriatic acid.
Protect nearby plants and vegetation by covering them with a plastic tarp.
Use caution when working with acid.
It s important to pour the masonry cleaner into the water instead of the other way around to prevent any burns from the acid.
Always pour acid into water never water into acid.
This is the concentration you are going to find in your local hardware store.
Tips for cleaning stone with muriatic acid.
Let the solution dwell for five minutes.
Dunk a clean soft sponge in the remaining tsp solution then apply it to the entire fireplace surround making sure to wet both the stone and the grout.
It s best to clean the stone as soon as possible after the mortar or other cement based material has sufficiently cured.
How to brighten and lighten a stone fireplace step 1.
Dip a second brush into the masonry cleaner mixture then gently apply the brush to the brick.
Brush the surface dirt and debris off.
How to clean stones with muriatic acid step 1.
Mix one pint of muriatic acid with a gallon of water in.
Use a plastic bucket to mix it in and always add the water to the bucket first and then slowly pour in the muriatic acid afterward.
Using a pump up sprayer spray a small area no larger than 3 x 3.
Let the brick absorb the cleaner for 3 5 minutes then use the water brush to scrub any residue off the brick.
You will be diluting this cleaning product with water before cleaning any masonry surfaces.
Immediately lightly agitate the area.
It the chemical of choice for some types of masonry cleaning.
Acid is able to penetrate and clean stone and cement.
Prepare a diluted solution of your acid based cleaner.
Wear a pair of rubber gloves and safety goggles.
Never use muriatic acid on stone or masonry.
Muriatic acid is sold in a standardized concentration of 31 45 acid and 68 55 inert ingredients primarily water.
Begin at the top of the stone fireplace.
If the mortar is too soft the acid will eat into that too.
Cement becomes more difficult to remove over time.
Acid will etch most stone brick masonry surfaces.